So, I guess Apple set a trend three years ago when it announced the $29 pricing for Snow Leopard (insert patent joke here). Microsoft has just announced the upgrade pricing for Windows 8 Pro - and it's good. Every Windows XP, Vista, and 7 install, no matter the version, is eligible for an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro (download version) for just $39.99. The fine print: this offer only runs until January 31, 2013.

For $40 I'll buy (although it will be more in the UK). My family all use Ubuntu and that's my main OS. But I don't like Windows 7 much and I need to know my way around Windows 8.

I think Windows 8 may have apocalyptic potential, as it is arm twisting users in a direction they probably don't want to go. Win ME was bad, a poor bloated version of 98, with DOS removed, Vista was so slow, bloated and quite horrid. But neither of these attempted to change how Windows users, used their PCs in the way Windows 8 does.